San Diego school officials overhauled the district by hiring a non educator, Alan Bersin, as the superintendent in 1998. Surprisingly, San Diego was already a high achieving district, which is why it was a very unpredicted move to launch a massive reform campaign. This campaign, however, was not entirely without reason. The teacher's union had desperately wanted wage increases (the highest wage at the time was only $55,000) so it was determined that a strong new leader was needed. Bersin was the man for the job. As a former law student at Harvard, Oxford, and Yale he possessed strong business connections and was not affiliated with the teachers' union. To summarize, Bersin made the following changes to the school system:
He joined with former federal prosecutor Anthony Alvarado
Incorporated New York's "Balanced Literacy" method
Replaced 5 area superintendents with 7 "instructional leaders"
Downsized central office personnel by 104 people
Formulated a plan called "The Blueprint" (p. 51) that passed in 2000
Part II Summary:
In 2002, the American Institutes for Research evaluated the Blueprint. Even though AIR was happy with the Blueprint, they noticed the teachers were upset because it was started up too quickly. The academic results for the implementation of the Blueprint showed that there were mixed gains that are made less viable based on resistance from teachers and impending budget cuts. They concluded that without teacher support, the Blueprint would not be as effective.
Elementary school findings varied from high school findings.
Elementary teachers thought their students learned more, but high school teachers did not.
Teacher unions were blamed for the teachers' discontent, instead of the issues within Blueprint policy.
San Diego students did not gain as much as other students from other districts did from the Blueprint
Only in middle schools did San Diego students show similar rates of progress
Important Factor: According to Sheila Byrd, curriculum expert, San Diego focused more on the aspects of how teachers should be teaching instead of what students should be learning.
This caused frustration for a lot of the teachers because they had very little input about the way Blueprint was enforced
One principal even described the Blueprint as "a regime of thought control" (pg. 62)
One principal said the minute-to-minute schedule was difficult for children to adjust to because they would be so engaged in their work it would be hard for them to stop.
Teachers became parrots- they were telling the leaders of the Blueprint what they wanted to hear, not what the teachers wanted to say.
Important Conclusion Regarding the Blueprint: The teachers union was surveyed about the reforms
78% said the Blueprint and other reform efforts were not an improvement to the quality of education in San Diego
63% reported poor teacher morale
Descriptions of the Superintendent and his administration had words such as "arrogant, dictatorial and disrespectful."
Stress-related illnesses rose for teachers
Majority of the teachers were angry and disaffected because of the Blueprint- the way Bersin went about changing the system and implementing Blueprint made it so ineffective to the San Diego school district. Had it been handled differently the results may have been more positive.
Chapter 4: Lessons From San Diego
Jason A. & Sammie L.
Part I Summary:
San Diego school officials overhauled the district by hiring a non educator, Alan Bersin, as the superintendent in 1998. Surprisingly, San Diego was already a high achieving district, which is why it was a very unpredicted move to launch a massive reform campaign. This campaign, however, was not entirely without reason. The teacher's union had desperately wanted wage increases (the highest wage at the time was only $55,000) so it was determined that a strong new leader was needed. Bersin was the man for the job. As a former law student at Harvard, Oxford, and Yale he possessed strong business connections and was not affiliated with the teachers' union. To summarize, Bersin made the following changes to the school system:
Part II Summary:
In 2002, the American Institutes for Research evaluated the Blueprint. Even though AIR was happy with the Blueprint, they noticed the teachers were upset because it was started up too quickly. The academic results for the implementation of the Blueprint showed that there were mixed gains that are made less viable based on resistance from teachers and impending budget cuts. They concluded that without teacher support, the Blueprint would not be as effective.
- Elementary school findings varied from high school findings.
- Elementary teachers thought their students learned more, but high school teachers did not.
- Teacher unions were blamed for the teachers' discontent, instead of the issues within Blueprint policy.
- San Diego students did not gain as much as other students from other districts did from the Blueprint
- Only in middle schools did San Diego students show similar rates of progress
- Important Factor: According to Sheila Byrd, curriculum expert, San Diego focused more on the aspects of how teachers should be teaching instead of what students should be learning.
- This caused frustration for a lot of the teachers because they had very little input about the way Blueprint was enforced
- One principal even described the Blueprint as "a regime of thought control" (pg. 62)
- One principal said the minute-to-minute schedule was difficult for children to adjust to because they would be so engaged in their work it would be hard for them to stop.
- Teachers became parrots- they were telling the leaders of the Blueprint what they wanted to hear, not what the teachers wanted to say.
- Important Conclusion Regarding the Blueprint: The teachers union was surveyed about the reforms
- 78% said the Blueprint and other reform efforts were not an improvement to the quality of education in San Diego
- 63% reported poor teacher morale
- Descriptions of the Superintendent and his administration had words such as "arrogant, dictatorial and disrespectful."
- Stress-related illnesses rose for teachers
Majority of the teachers were angry and disaffected because of the Blueprint- the way Bersin went about changing the system and implementing Blueprint made it so ineffective to the San Diego school district. Had it been handled differently the results may have been more positive.